Cobalt and chlorine co-doped Bi5O7I catalysts for LED-induced photocatalytic or PMS-activation antibiotics degradation

Multifunctional semiconductor catalysts can meet the urgent needs for the removal of antibiotic pollutants in water. Bifunctional catalysts, cobalt and chlorine co-doped Bi5O7I (signed as Co-BIC) catalysts, were purposefully designed through a two-step aqueous strategy. The preformed Bi5O7I precursor provided one-dimensional structure and Bi-rich character for the construction of Co-BIC catalysts. Co and Cl co-doping in Bi5O7I crystals can form a doping energy level and improve the internal electric field, which led to enlarged visible-light absorption and charge separation efficiency during the photocatalytic reaction process. These advantages made Co-BIC crystals exhibit good photocatalytic activities for the removal of antibiotic levofloxacin (LEV), ciprofloxacin (CIP) and tetracycline (TC) under visible LED (100 W) light irradiation. The degradation efficiency of LEV, CIP and TC over the typical Co-BIC-60 catalyst can reach more than 80 % under 60 min of LED irradiation. In the system of Co-BIC activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS), ∼ 90 % of LEV, CIP and TC degraded within 20 min over 20 mg of Co-BIC-60 catalyst. The mechanism of photocatalytic degradation and PMS oxidation degradation over Co-BIC catalysts was proposed on band structures of Co-BIC catalysts and the active species in the capture experiments. This work could provide new ideas for the preparation of bismuth oxyhalide catalysts coupled with transition metal elements. [Display omitted] •Co and Cl co-doped Bi5O7I catalysts enlarged absorption to visible light.•Additional doping energy and enhanced IEF of Co-BIC improved LEV removal efficiency.•Co-BIC can activate PMS to generate SO4˙− and ·OH for LEV degradation.•LED-induced and PMS-activation mechanism of Co-BIC for LEV degradation is proposed.